Katrina Renee Ben of Silver Creek, Mississippi Charged With Murder In Death Of Eric Somuah Of Silver Spring, Md.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WUSA9) -- Montgomery County Police say a woman from Mississippi who was reportedly in a romantic relationship with Eric Somuah has been charged with his murder.

Thirty-five-year-old Katrina Renee Ben of Silver Creek, Mississippi is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Somuah, say police. Officers found Somuah with a gunshot wound to the head after responding to his apartment in the 1100 block of East-West Highway in Silver Spring to check his welfare on June 6. A family member called police after he or she could not get in touch with Somuah and and Somuah had not been to work, according to police.

Police say a spent shell casing was recovered at the scene. Officers noted that the apartment was locked and there were no visible signs of forced entry.

According to police, Katrina Renee Ben was the last known person to be with Somuah in his apartment before his death. During an interview, police say Ben told detectives she was Somuah's neighbor and that she was involved in a romantic relationship with him.

Police say the day after the homicide, a partially disassembled gun was found on Interstate 495 near Colesville Road by someone and was turned over to police. The bullet recovered from Somuah's body was examined by the Montgomery County Police-Firearms Examination Unit and the rifling characteristics from the bullet were determined to be consistent with the gun recovered from the Interstate, according to police.

Detectives also determined that Ben purchased a gun at a pawn shop in 2004, say police, and that the make, model, and serial number on that gun and the recovered gun matched.

Montgomery County police detectives, with the assistance of the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, arrested Ben at her home in Silver Creek, Mississippi on June 21. Ben is awaiting extradition to Montgomery County.